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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27593150">Ocean and Shore</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queen_of_Ice_and_Hallows/pseuds/Queen_of_Ice_and_Hallows'>Queen_of_Ice_and_Hallows</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Frozen (Disney Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:48:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,186</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27593150</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queen_of_Ice_and_Hallows/pseuds/Queen_of_Ice_and_Hallows</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>'Open the door. Let her in,' she thought to herself. 'Explain to Papa later that your sister needed you.' She took a deep breath, resolving herself to putting her control over this curse to the biggest test in years... </p><p>A collection of connected one-shots full of sisterly fluff where those thirteen years are cut down to four.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Ocean and Shore</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen nor its characters, nor do I own any characters from other Disney works. Disney owns everything - including my heart, soul, and wallet.</p><p>This was originally posted on FFnet, but I'm working on moving all my work to AO3 as well.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p>
  <em>Knock. Knock. Knock-Knock. Knock.</em>
</p><p>"Hey, Elsa!" A small red-haired girl called through the keyhole of a large white door with a snowflake design. "Guess what I did today? I rode our bike all the way down the stairs while standing on the seat. With no hands! Woo was it fun! And I made it all the way down without crashing!"</p><p>She paused to see if her sister would call her out on what was clearly a lie. Anna had made quite a racket crashing into that suit of armor. There was no way Elsa didn't hear it. Sometimes Anna did that, purposefully left openings in the conversation to try and trick her sister into talking to her. It never worked.</p><p>"Ok, yeah. You're right. That was a lie. I totally crashed our bike, but it was okay! I was caught by a suit of armor at the bottom of the stairs. Oh! Maybe one day, my Prince Charming will come exactly the same way. Catching me from falling totally out of nowhere. I'll just be walking along, whistling or singing or looking at a bird, and I'll trip, because… well, you know me. And I'll close my eyes, ready to say hello to the ground… again… but nothing! And when I open them, there he'll be just holding me."</p><p>Anna turned her back to the door with a wistful sigh. That's how it was going to happen. It just had to. Then again… Anna never got to go outside the gates and hardly anyone was ever let through them to come to the castle. If her Prince Charming was out there, how would he ever find her holed up in here. <em>Well,</em> Anna thought to herself, <em>that's a sad thought. </em>She shook her head. No way was she going to have sad thoughts today.</p><p>"Elsa? Are you even in there? What am I saying? Of course you're in there. You're always in there. The only times you're not are," she counted on her fingers as she listed out, "the occasional family meals, when you're working with your tutors, when you're studying from Papa, when you go to the bathroom but this isn't your afternoon bathroom time, when…"</p><p>"Go away, Anna," came a voice from the other side. Elsa was doing her best to stay calm. Usually she could endure listening to her sister rattle on from her side of the door. Honestly, listening to her sister's chatter was the only time she felt happy and normal, but it pained her not being able to engage. She'd thought about talking back before, but she was sure it would just make the existence of the barrier that much more painful for the both of them.</p><p>Elsa waited for the "Okay, bye," that usually followed, but it never came. In fact, she didn't hear anything on the other side of the door and let out a sigh. Anna was still out there, she just knew it. Today was going to be one of those days where she had to tell her twice to leave. Elsa hated those days. It pained her to say it once. It killed her to repeat it.</p><p>"What did I do, Elsa? I can't remember, but I must have done something. Why is it that you don't love me anymore?" asked a sad, quiet voice through the closed door.</p><p>Elsa's breath caught in her chest. <em>Did Anna just say...?</em> Guilt crashed over Elsa anew. Everything she'd endured these last four years was in protection of her baby sister. Every headache from shutting her eyes tight, trying to will the ice back into her veins. Every stiff muscle from forcing herself to remain as motionless as possible, as still as the frozen room around her. Every night filled with tears as she listened to her sister begging her to come out of her room. It was all for Anna, to keep her safe. <em>Didn't she know that?</em></p><p>Then it occurred to her. Of course Anna did not know. Grand Pabbie had made sure of that.</p><p>There were many things in this life that Elsa was certain of - the sun warmed the earth, flowers bloomed in the spring, chocolate has the power to make sad Annas stop crying, and she has loved her baby sister since she first set eyes on her. Elsa was isolating herself to make sure Anna was safe and protected. But if Anna didn't think she was loved by her big sister, what was all this protection for? Was it really the best thing for Anna if Elsa was just hurting her in a different, deeper way?</p><p><em>Open the door. Let her in, </em>she thought to herself. <em>Explain to Papa later that your sister needed you. </em>She took a deep breath, resolving herself to putting her control over this curse to the biggest test in years. Placing a hand on the door knob, she tried to determine if Anna was even still on the other side. Elsa listened closely, but she heard nothing.</p><p><em>It's so quiet. This, all of this, is wrong, </em>she contemplated again. <em>Anna is never quiet. </em>It was one of those constants in Elsa's life; as constant as the taste of hot chocolate, the sound of her mother singing a lullaby, or the feel of ice on her gloved fingers. Anna was boisterous and Elsa could hear her coming and going from a floor away. Something was definitely wrong. Before the courage could falter, Elsa pulled the door open.</p><p>Anna tumbled backward, startled as the door she was leaning on suddenly disappeared. Before she knew it, she was flat on her back and a loud crack was heard as her head hit the floor. She just laid there with stars in her eyes trying to figure out what had just happened.</p><p>"Ouch. Why hello there, ground. Fancy meeting you here... again."</p><p>"Oh! Anna, I'm sorry. I didn't realize... I didn't mean to..." Elsa took a deep breath. "Are you okay?"</p><p>Anna waited for her vision to clear and found her sister standing over her with a concerned look on her face. At least, Anna thought it looked like concern. It was a little hard to tell when her sister was upside down and the edges of her vision were still a bit blurry. She couldn't believe it. She gave her head a good shake, regretting it immediately as the dizziness returned, but she decided that she wasn't dreaming. Elsa had actually opened her door and had done it rather swiftly for a door that had been...</p><p>"Wait… It wasn't locked?"</p><p>"I'm sorry?" Elsa frowned. She knelt down and took her little sister's head in both of her hands to make sure that she wasn't seriously damaged.</p><p>"Your door. It... It wasn't locked?"</p><p>Elsa stopped inspecting Anna's head and looked her in the eyes. That's when she noticed where her hands were and her eyes moved to the white strip of hair that plagues her dreams at night. She quickly took her hands back but stopped herself from fully retreating.</p><p>"My door is never locked," she answered simply.</p><p>"Oh... I just figured... I wish I had known. I might have... I would have... I don't know..." Anna winced at her awkwardness. Elsa's door finally opened and she was blowing it. "I guess it doesn't make a difference now."</p><p>"It's not true," Elsa blurted out quickly, and much louder than she intended.</p><p>Anna blinked a few times. "What's not true?"</p><p>"What you said earlier through the door," Elsa answered. Anna continued to just look at her with confusion and Elsa frowned again concerned. "Are you sure you're alright? You're very quiet which is most unlike you. I'm afraid you might have a concussion."</p><p>"What? No, I'm fine. Trust me, I know what a concussion feels like. I'm just..." Anna paused. "Looking at you. We haven't been this close in years. I'm... taking you all in." They sat together, looking at each other. The space between them only being a few inches, but still feeling as wide as a canyon. Anna studied her sister like it was the first time she was seeing her. It wasn't, of course. In fact, Elsa had dinner with them just last night, but that was always the closest they ever got; the width of a royal dining table apart, two parents seated side by side at the head in between them.</p><p>Elsa sat there, unsure of what to do. She hadn't been within this small of a proximity to anyone in years. She never even let Mama and Papa within arms reach and always looked away if they gazed at her too long. Papa's eyes were always filled with frustration or sternness. Mama's were always weary or sad. When they looked at her, Elsa felt pitied and sometimes feared. Anna's gaze, however, made Elsa feel…</p><p><em>Seen,</em> Elsa thought, <em>and warm.</em></p><p>"Anna?"</p><p>Both girls turned toward the sound of footsteps hurriedly making their way down the hall. Elsa immediately was on edge; the flight urge within her spiking. Anxiety rose from somewhere deep within her like a raging arctic storm threatening to break loose. She looked up and noticed the ice creeping down the walls of her room and on the floor around her. Luckily Anna had fallen backward into the room, body still facing the hallway, and didn't notice the magic happening just behind her. It dawned on Elsa now, though, exactly how close Anna was.</p><p>"Anna, darling, are you okay? What's wrong?" Their mother had finally reached them and crouched down, sitting Anna up and patting her down to check for injuries the same way Elsa had done just minutes before.</p><p>"I'm not hurt, Mama," Anna said while swatting her mother's hands away indignantly. "Elsa just startled me is all."</p><p>The Queen looked up, surprised to see Elsa sitting so close, though not surprised at the look of fear on her elder daughter's face or the way she sat completely still. Queen Iduna quickly glanced around Elsa's room, taking in the light coating of ice that was beginning to crawl closer to them. She gave Elsa a soft, sad smile and then turned back to the younger of her two girls.</p><p>"Anna, I think your sister is tired. Let's allow her to rest."</p><p>"Oh. Okay then. See you la… Bye, Elsa," Anna said in a dejected tone. It was a tone Elsa hated to hear coming from Anna. Her sister's voice was meant to sound like sunshine and summer breezes. Anna stood up, shoulders hunched and eyes downcast. Elsa couldn't take it.</p><p>"Anna," she whispered, standing suddenly and pulling her into a hug. She was rewarded when Anna quickly returned it, wrapping her arms tightly around Elsa's waist. Elsa could see her mother's slightly panicked face in her periphery and considered letting go, but then she heard her sister's haggard breathing, a classic sign that Anna was trying not to cry. Elsa hugged her tighter instead and continued to whisper. "What you said earlier is not true. I love you more than anyone or anything in this world. I love you the way the ocean loves the shore, and the moon loves the stars. I love you with everything that I am and everything I will ever be. I never have nor ever will stop loving you. Please don't let something as trivial as a closed door make you believe any different."</p><p>Anna let the floodgates open. She felt Elsa rubbing small circles on her back with one hand as she let go with the other. She squeezed her sister tighter, refusing to let this end just yet. Anna wanted this hug to last forever. Elsa had always given the best hugs and she was starved of them for the last four years.</p><p>"Anna, let go for a second," Elsa said softly.</p><p>"No, not yet."</p><p>Elsa let out a small chuckle. She'd forgotten what Elsa's laugh sounded like. It made Anna think of sunlight glistening on fresh snow.</p><p>"I have something for you."</p><p>That caught Anna's attention. Tears still running rivers down both cheeks, Anna slowly let go and looked at Elsa. Her big sister had a soft smile on her face. She tried to remember the last time she'd seen Elsa smile, but couldn't recall. Anna looked down at Elsa's outstretched hand.</p><p>"Chocolate?" She asked as she wiped the tears away and sniffled.</p><p>Elsa always kept chocolate in her pocket. One nice thing about her ice powers was she never had to worry about her stash melting.</p><p>"Chocolate has the power to make sad Annas stop crying," she said, taking Anna's hand and placing the morsel into her palm. Elsa's smile grew as Anna quickly unwrapped the candy and popped it into her mouth, her tears instantly quelled.</p><p>"Elsa, sweetie."</p><p>"Yes, Mama?" She turned her attention to the Queen. She had almost forgotten about her standing there.</p><p>"Look," Queen Iduna said, indicating to the bedroom behind her with her eyes and slight nod of her head.</p><p>Elsa turned around and gasped at the bedroom devoid of the ice that had covered it only moments before.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this little story. </p><p>Background: I become illogically upset whenever I think about the thirteen (uggghh) years the girls spent apart. I tell myself, 'self, it's a cartoon. It's fiction. You're being illogical,' but I just can't help it. So I have this head-canon that I like to delve into in order to find some semblance of solace. This is the start of that head-canon - a series of connected one-shots that I can visit whenever I have writer's block or just want to get into some sisterly fluff. Now I won't promise if, when, or how often this will get updated, but it'll be here on the back-burner for when it's needed.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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